Wrapped Up In a Neat, Little Bow
by iPods-and-Tea
Summary: Zuko tries to cajole a reluctant Mai into inviting her stringently persnickety parents to their wedding, though, the fire lord is unaware that the complications delve deeper than petty parental squabbling. (I read the Rebound comic and wanted to immerse into the idea that Mai's father was a head honcho of an Ozai Loyalist rebellion plot.)


The roses were a burning, bright red that almost pasted itself on the insides of your eyelids, beaming like blood. They were a tradition, a symbol, a gift, something you sent a soon-bride-to-be shortly before her wedding ceremony in Fire Nation custom. But if anyone knew Mai, they knew she wasn't much for tradition. Mai sat in front of her vanity in her douboir, plucking the petals one-by-one off of each flower in her gifted bouquet. As Mai sighed, picking the smooth, cherry-scented petals her door came open, and her flustered fiancé came in, balancing a tray of fruit tarts and glasses in his hands along with a stack full of paperwork.

"He loves you," Zuko mumbled through his gritted teeth that were clutching a stack of papers. His hands were full. Mai turned around, tossing the petal in between her fingers to the side. She gave the fire lord a quizzical expression.

"What?" She asked as she stood and took the tray from him, placing it down on her bureau.

"The flower thing, that dumb thing girls do, you know?" Zuko explained, as Mai continued her bona fide perplexed demeanor.

"Zuko, first off, since when do I do those dumb things? Do you think I'm Ty Lee?" Mai grumbled, as she picked up the pink lemonade off the tray, it had a lemon on the glass, just as she requested. It was hot, and this was just what she needed to cool her down this smoldering autumn, Fire Nation heat. She took the little straw and stirred it around the glass, sipping at the sweet and tart-y beverage Zuko had poured her.

"I don't know," Zuko complained, throwing his hands in the air, "I thought you were doing that thing with the 'he loves me, he loves me not' or what have you!"

"Yeah, that's me. It's not like we're getting married this weekend or anything, I'm just full of doubt and wonder," Mai teased with a smirk, leaning against his shoulder as she sipped the lemonade, "You're an idiot," She joked, "But you make good lemonade, so I'll keep you."

"That's great news," Zuko mumbled back, the same smirk on his face, but then sighed, "The wedding is this weekend, on Saturday, Mai."

"You don't sound too excited about it," Mai grumbled, "What, are you nervous? You'll be fine, Zuko. You gave the encomium at Sokka and Suki's wedding reception and you give public speeches all the time. Don't be nervous," Mai genuinely tried to assuage him.

"No, no, no, not that!" Zuko interrupted, though he was incredibly nervous.

"I already picked my bridesmaids, Zuko," Mai assured her paranoid and anxious fiancé.

"Ugh, would you let me finish?" Zuko pleaded as she rolled her eyes, motioning sarcastically with her hands for him to continue, "Your parents," Zuko said bluntly as Mai glared, and diverted her gaze, holding a grimace.

"I don't want them here," Mai spat spitefully.

"Mai," Zuko began gently.

"-No!" intercepted Mai vindictively as Zuko put up his hands defensively.

"Mai, I know you don't get along, but they're your parents and they love you, they're going to be hurt forever if you don't even invite them," Zuko explained, and Mai crossed her arms obstinately.

"Why don't you ask your parents?" Mai growled a retort.

"…I'd give anything to have my mother there," Zuko murmured looking away, saddened that she wouldn't see him be wed.

"Zuko," Mai began sympathetically, with a sigh as she put her hand on his shoulder, "I meant- I meant your father."

"Your parents aren't like my father, Mai," Zuko husked, "I know you guys are all mad right now, but you can't let that stop you from being the bigger person! Mai, you told me this was going to be the most important day of your life."

"It is. That's why I don't want them there to ruin it. It's about me and you, not them, not anyone else," Mai snapped, "That's why I hate this huge crowd, all the citizens that have to come because you're the fire lord! It's our day, not theirs!"

"Mai, I don't like strangers there either, it just makes me uncomfortable, but you know how these things are, we've been through this a hundred times," Zuko went on, "-But people that you love, people like my uncle, and my friends, people that love you, and want to support you, should be there! They want to see you on a day that's so important to you, because it's then important to them! That's why you need to ask your parents!" Zuko pleaded with her, "Please, for me."

"Zuko," Mai turned to a serious conduct, cupping his face in her hands as she locked eyes with him, "Listen to me," Mai continued, "I don't want them there because I'm worried about you."

"Worried? About me? I-I don't understand," Zuko said in bewilderment, shaking his head, as his fiancée ran her hands down off his face, over his neck, and rested them on his broad shoulders, clad in Fire Lord apparel.

"My father, he-he's an Ozai Loyalist, Zuko," Mai explained.

"I know, I let him keep his position only because he's your father," Zuko told her, looking on in concern.

"I wish you didn't!" Mai rose her voice.

"Why? He's your dad! Your family would lose everything, then!" Zuko shouted back, "Think of Tom-Tom!"

"I wish he could live here! He's the only family member I can stand!" Mai groaned, "And, I guess Mom is okay…" Mai reluctantly confessed with a sigh, "Look, I love my parents even though we don't really get along, but Zuko… Remember when I broke up with you a few years ago, at the start of your reign?"

"Y-yeah…" Zuko replied, recollecting the heartbreak even now a bit downcast, as Mai lifted his chin to assure him that this wasn't about leaving him again or anything of the sorts.

"I went to stay with my aunt in the town my father governs," Mai began, "My father sent a boy there, to ask me out-"

"He what?!" Zuko interrupted in envy.

"Zuko, this was four years ago," Mai groaned, "It isn't the point."

"Who was he? Why did your dad do that? Did you say yes? Did you like him? Was he smarter than me? I bet you he was more attractive… You enjoyed yourself, didn't you?" Zuko rambled in a fit of covet.

"Zuko, shut up!" Mai insisted, "I don't even remember his name, I was eighteen! I'm trying to tell you something important!"

"This is just like when we were at that beach party! You act so nonchalant, but I can tell you like these guys!" Zuko howled on, ignoring Mai's pleas.

"Zuko, you idiot, listen to me," Mai hissed, slapping his arm, "If I didn't love you, trust me, I wouldn't be binding myself to some idiot like you for the rest of my life at the end of the week. Okay?" Mai mumbled, as Zuko grinned, satisfied with her answer, as Mai sighed, trying again to get across her point, "The whole date, you'll be glad to know, was a ploy. My father sent him, to lure me to his underground rebellion force, that I'm almost certain he still runs. He thought since I'd left you, I'd want to join him. Zuko, he wants to kill you. He was trying to kill you, half of these assassins could be from him. He wanted me to kill you."

Zuko's eyes widened in shock and horror. His almost father-in-law wanted to kill him. His real father wasn't enough. Zuko shook his head. He didn't want this, he wanted to get along with his in-laws, he had enough problems in his own family, he wanted something to be normal. What if they had children? Their child would have no normal side of the family to turn to. Everything would be a mess, from his lineage to the current situation on the maternal and paternal sides. Zuko pressed his fingers to his head, massaging his temples in exasperation.

"It's not just because I'm mad, Zuko," Mai explained, "I'm worried he'll try to hurt you. He'll be furious I'm marrying you, even though he wants to move up politically, he can't stand your policies, or frankly… you. I-I don't want him to be mad his daughter is marrying you and try to do something to you. Zuko-" Mai began, "I get so scared when these people come after you, I get so afraid they'll…" Mai continued as her voice lowered below a whisper, "They'll take you from me."

"Mai…" Zuko said in comfort as he took her into his arms, kissing the top of her head, "I'm not going anywhere," He promised, "We don't have to ask your parents. Uncle can walk you up the aisle."

"Thanks, Zuko," Mai whispered as she kissed his cheek, standing up. She took the vase of the bouquet of red flowers in her hand, ripping off the card, tearing through its tie on the red ribbon on its stem, "With love, Mother," Mai read in a mocking tone, "She knows I'm getting married, just not when, and I'd like to keep it that way," Mai hissed as she knocked over the entire vase, causing the water to spill on the ground. Zuko pouted, knowing that would need to be cleaned later.

"Good thing you'll be moving into my room soon, anyway," Zuko said with a grin as Mai smirked back.

"You're a dork."

"Well, you fell for me, so what does that make you?"


End file.
